It’s the dog days of summer, and you know what that means—time to head to the theater to escape the heat, chow some popcorn, and catch a blockbuster flick. Here at AU we thought we’d dedicate a week or 2 to celebrating the role Autodesk software has played in bringing to life many of Hollywood’s biggest blockbusters in recent years. As you probably know, Autodesk animation software is a major player in the VFX game for both animated and live action films. Maya software is so widely used in the movie world that a 2015 VentureBeat article went so far as to ask, “Could Hollywood even make visual... READ MORE >

All month, we’ve been celebrating American independence in a uniquely AU kind of way—by touring iconic American landmarks and the innovative processes used to build them. (What can we say? We’re nerds that way.) As July draws to a close, we wrap things up with a visit to Hoover Dam. There’s a lot to admire about Hoover Dam. At the time it was completed, in 1936, it was the world’s tallest dam, rising 726 feet above the Colorado River. It housed the world’s largest hydroelectric station at the time. And Lake Mead, the body of water created by the dam, became the largest reservoir in the U.S. s... READ MORE >

Our month-long tour of iconic American landmarks and the innovative processes used to build them continues. This week, we head westward, to the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California. Still considered among the "greatest civil engineering achievements of the 20th century" by the American Society of Civil Engineers, the Golden Gate Bridge was the longest suspension bridge in the world when it was built in the 1930s. That record has been surpassed by quite a few other bridges by now, but it’s still the 2nd longest suspension bridge in the U.S., after the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge (... READ MORE >

When it comes to great American icons, none can hold a candle (or a torch) to Lady Liberty. Originally called “Liberty Enlightening the World,” she is universally recognized as a symbol of freedom and democracy and was the first sight that greeted millions of immigrants arriving by boat during the second half of the 19th century. Chances are, if you’ve ever been to the Big Apple, you made a point of visiting her. Fun facts: She stands 305 feet, 6 inches tall from the pedestal base to the tip of her torch. In strong winds (50 mph), the statue can sway up to 3 inches, and the torch up to 6... READ MORE >

America, home of the free, land of the brave, sea to shining sea. Yup, this is 1 heck of a country we’ve got here. As we celebrate our great nation’s independence, we at AU want to recognize this country for being not only a place of amazing natural beauty, but also a place of astonishing achievements and amazing feats, a country that has been built and made. After all, America didn’t just appear. It was (and is) a project—constructed brick by brick, town by town, city by city, vision by vision. And in addition to the pioneers who settled this land and carved it from the wilderness, we think... READ MORE >